European Commissioner for Energy - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

The Commissioner for Energy is a member of the European Commission

European Commission

The European Commission is the executive body of the European Union. The body is responsible for proposing legislation, implementing decisions, upholding the Union's treaties and the general day-to-day running of the Union....

. The current Commissioner is Günther Oettinger

Günther Oettinger

Günther Hermann Oettinger is a German politician of the Christian Democratic Union . He became European Commissioner for Energy in the European Commission on 10 February 2010 and is affiliated with the European People's Party...

(EPP

European People's Party

The European People's Party is a pro-European centre-right European political party. The EPP was founded in 1976 by Christian democratic parties, but later it increased its membership to include conservative parties and parties of other centre-right perspectives.The EPP is the most influential of...

Responsibilities

The Commissioner holds responsibility for the European Union's energy policy

Energy policy of the European Union

Although the European Union has legislated in the area of energy policy for many years, and evolved out of the European Coal and Steel Community, the concept of introducing a mandatory and comprehensive European energy policy was only approved at the meeting of the European Council on 27 October...

as well as nuclear issues (Euratom). It was previously a backwater in the Commission but has now become sought-after as the European energy policy has been developed. The Commissioner for Energy has to deal with ongoing gas disputes between Russia and Ukraine which threaten European supplies, reduce dependence on Russian energy and reduce carbon emissions.

The Directorate-General

Directorate-General

A Directorate-General is a branch of an administration dedicated to a specific field of expertise.* The European Commission: Commission Directorates-General are each headed by a European Commissioner;* The European Patent Office: EPO Directorates-General;...

serving this Commissioner is the Directorate-General for Energy

Directorate-General for Energy (European Commission)

The Directorate-General for Energy , also internally the abbreviation ENER is used, is a Directorate-General of the European Commission...

, which was combined with Transport prior to 2010.

Günther Oettinger (incumbent)

Günther Oettinger

was appointed as the new Energy Commissioner in February 2010. However he was criticised for corruption and avoidance of EU law in his home state. His language skills have also been criticised and his nomination was met with confusion in Brussels.

Andris Piebalgs (2004–2010)

During his hearing with the European Parliament

European Parliament

The European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union . Together with the Council of the European Union and the Commission, it exercises the legislative function of the EU and it has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world...

, Piebalgs stressed the importance of the environment in energy policy and was cautious of nuclear power

Nuclear power

Nuclear power is the use of sustained nuclear fission to generate heat and electricity. Nuclear power plants provide about 6% of the world's energy and 13–14% of the world's electricity, with the U.S., France, and Japan together accounting for about 50% of nuclear generated electricity...

. He received backing strong backing from the Parliament. He outlined his priorities as;

1. Achieving a true internal market
2. Energy efficiency: everyone can make a difference
3. Increase the share of renewable energy
4. Increased investments in technology
5. Safety and security of nuclear power
6. Make it easier for Member States to help each other in energy crisis
7. Developing external energy policy relations

The European Union is an active supporter of the Kyoto Protocol

Kyoto Protocol

The Kyoto Protocol is a protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change , aimed at fighting global warming...

, which it signed alongside its member-states. In March 2007 the Union committed itself to cut CO2 emissions by 20 percent by 2020. There is also a desire to reduce dependency on Russian energy supplies following the disputes between Russia and Belarus and Ukraine. (See also: Russia-Belarus energy dispute
Russia-Belarus energy dispute
The Russia–Belarus energy dispute began when Russian state-owned gas supplier Gazprom demanded an increase in gas prices paid by Belarus, a country which has been closely allied with Moscow and forms a loose union state with Russia...

, Russia-Ukraine gas dispute
Russia-Ukraine gas dispute
The Russia–Ukraine gas disputes refer to a number of disputes between Ukrainian oil and gas company Naftogaz Ukrainy and Russian gas supplier Gazprom over natural gas supplies, prices, and debts...

.) In April 2007 five southern European countries signed a deal to build an oil pipeline from the Black Sea

Black Sea

The Black Sea is bounded by Europe, Anatolia and the Caucasus and is ultimately connected to the Atlantic Ocean via the Mediterranean and the Aegean seas and various straits. The Bosphorus strait connects it to the Sea of Marmara, and the strait of the Dardanelles connects that sea to the Aegean...

to Italy which will help diversify energy sources.

Piebalgs head of cabinet is Andris Ķesteris, his deputy head is Christopher Jones and his spokesperson is Ferran Tarradellas.

List of commissioners

	Name	Country	Period	Commission
1	Wilhelm Haferkamp Wilhelm Haferkamp Wilhelm Haferkamp was a long time member of the European Commission. Born in Germany, he was a social democratic politician. He was appointed by to the Commission by the West German government in 1967. He served in a number of posts including Vice President until 1985...	West Germany	1967–1970	Rey Commission Rey Commission The Rey Commission is the European Commission that held office from 2 July 1967 to 30 June 1970. Its President was Jean Rey.-Work:It was the first Commission of the merged European Communities. It was the successor to the Hallstein Commission and was succeeded by the Malfatti Commission...
2	Wilhelm Haferkamp Wilhelm Haferkamp Wilhelm Haferkamp was a long time member of the European Commission. Born in Germany, he was a social democratic politician. He was appointed by to the Commission by the West German government in 1967. He served in a number of posts including Vice President until 1985...	West Germany	1970–1972	Malfatti Commission Malfatti Commission The Malfatti Commission is the European Commission that held office from 1 July 1970 to 21 March 1972. Its President was Franco Maria Malfatti.- Work :...
3	Wilhelm Haferkamp Wilhelm Haferkamp Wilhelm Haferkamp was a long time member of the European Commission. Born in Germany, he was a social democratic politician. He was appointed by to the Commission by the West German government in 1967. He served in a number of posts including Vice President until 1985...	West Germany	1972–1973	Mansholt Commission Mansholt Commission The Mansholt Commission is the European Commission that held office from 22 March 1972 to 5 January 1973. Its President was Sicco Mansholt.- Work :It was the successor to the Malfatti Commission and was succeeded by the Ortoli Commission...
4	Henri François Simonet	Belgium	1973–1977	Ortoli Commission Ortoli Commission The Ortoli Commission is the European Commission that held office from 6 January 1973 to 5 January 1977. Its President was François-Xavier Ortoli.-Work:...
5	Guido Brunner	West Germany	1977–1981	Jenkins Commission Jenkins Commission (EU) The Jenkins Commission is the European Commission that held office from 6 January 1977 to 6 January 1981. Its President was Roy Jenkins.-Work:It was the successor to the Ortoli Commission and was succeeded by the Thorn Commission...
6	Étienne Davignon Étienne Davignon Étienne Francois Jacques Davignon, Viscount Davignon is a Belgian politician, businessman, and former vice-president of the European Commission.-Career:...	Belgium	1981–1985	Thorn Commission Thorn Commission The Thorn Commission was the European Commission that held office from 6 January 1981 until 5 January 1985. Its President was Gaston Thorn.-Work:...
7	Nicolas Mosar Nicolas Mosar Nicolas Mosar was a Luxembourg politician, jurist, and diplomat.A Christian Social People's Party member, Mosar was elected to the communal council of Luxembourg City in 1959, and sat in the council until 1984, including a period as an échevin...	Luxembourg	1985–1989	Delors Commission Delors Commission The Delors Commission was the administration of Jacques Delors, the 8th President of the European Commission. Delors presided over the European Commission for three terms The Delors Commission was the administration of Jacques Delors, the 8th President of the European Commission. Delors presided... I
8	Antonio Cardoso e Cunha	Portugal	1989–1993	Delors Commission Delors Commission The Delors Commission was the administration of Jacques Delors, the 8th President of the European Commission. Delors presided over the European Commission for three terms The Delors Commission was the administration of Jacques Delors, the 8th President of the European Commission. Delors presided... II
9	Marcelino Oreja	Spain	1993–1994	Delors Commission Delors Commission The Delors Commission was the administration of Jacques Delors, the 8th President of the European Commission. Delors presided over the European Commission for three terms The Delors Commission was the administration of Jacques Delors, the 8th President of the European Commission. Delors presided... III
10	Abel Matutes Abel Matutes Abel Matutes y Juan is a Spanish politician who served as Spain's Minister of Foreign Affairs from 6 May 1996 to 2000. Matutes was born in Ibiza on 31 October 1941 and his early political life was in that region. He was Mayor of Ibiza in 1970 and 1971 and became Senator for Ibiza and Formentera in...	Spain	1994–1995	Delors Commission Delors Commission The Delors Commission was the administration of Jacques Delors, the 8th President of the European Commission. Delors presided over the European Commission for three terms The Delors Commission was the administration of Jacques Delors, the 8th President of the European Commission. Delors presided... III
11	Christos Papoutsis Christos Papoutsis Christos Papoutsis is a Greek socialist politician, serving as the Minister for Citizen Protection as of September 7, 2010. Prior to his current office he has served as Minister of Mercantile Marine and European Commissioner responsible for Energy, EURATOM Supply Agency, SMEs, Tourism and...	Greece	1995–1999	Santer Commission Santer Commission The Santer Commission was the European Commission in office between 23 January 1995 and 15 March 1999. The administration was led by Jacques Santer ....
12	Christos Papoutsis Christos Papoutsis Christos Papoutsis is a Greek socialist politician, serving as the Minister for Citizen Protection as of September 7, 2010. Prior to his current office he has served as Minister of Mercantile Marine and European Commissioner responsible for Energy, EURATOM Supply Agency, SMEs, Tourism and...	Greece	1999	Marín Commission Marín Commission The Marín Commission is an interim European Commission that served in office from 16 March 1999 to 12 September 1999. It consisted of its president, Manuel Marín, and the other commissioners....
13	Loyola de Palacio Loyola de Palacio Loyola de Palacio y del Valle-Lersundi was a Spanish politician. She was one of the first women to rise to political prominence in Spain during the early years of democracy. She was a minister in the Spanish government from 1996 to 1998, and a member of the European Commission from 1999 to 2004...	Spain	1999–2004	Prodi Commission Prodi Commission The Prodi Commission was the European Commission in office between 1999 and 2004. The administration was led by former Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi.-History:...
14	Andris Piebalgs Andris Piebalgs Andris Piebalgs is a Latvian politician and diplomat, currently serving as European Commissioner for Development at the European Commission. Between 2004 and 2010 he served as Commissioner for Energy.-Career:...	Latvia	2004–2010	Barroso Commission Barroso Commission The Barroso Commission is the European Commission that has been in office since 22 November 2004 and is due to serve until 2014. Its president is José Manuel Barroso, who presides over 26 other commissioners... I
15	Günther Oettinger Günther Oettinger Günther Hermann Oettinger is a German politician of the Christian Democratic Union . He became European Commissioner for Energy in the European Commission on 10 February 2010 and is affiliated with the European People's Party...	Germany	2010 onwards	Barroso Commission Barroso Commission The Barroso Commission is the European Commission that has been in office since 22 November 2004 and is due to serve until 2014. Its president is José Manuel Barroso, who presides over 26 other commissioners... II

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